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International: The Role of Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality

A new publication discusses entry points and opportunities for engaging men in work on gender equality, focusing on issues of violence, health, fatherhood, the workplace and the need to engage youth.

Gender equality is not a women’s issue; it concerns men and boys as well as women and girls. Garnering sufficient support for the profound social changes required by the gender equality agenda cannot be achieved by women alone. It also requires the active involvement of men, all the more so as they often control the resources needed for this work.

The publication Women 2000 and Beyond: The Role of Men and Boys in Achieving Gender Equality presents strategies for and lessons learned from male engagement in these areas, covering both modifying men's personal attitudes and behaviours; and mobilizing men to take action on the political, economic and social structures that maintain gender inequalities.

This is an excerpt from the paper:
"Men’s motivations for involvement in gender equality workMen’s lives are complex and are shaped by more than
their gender identity. Race/ethnicity, class, caste, sexuality,
religion and nationality all influence how men
identify their interests. The increased recognition of the
need to involve men in promoting gender equality has
been accompanied by the growing motivation of men
to become engaged. This motivation can emanate from
a variety of sources, including men’s relationships with
women, their concern for their own personal well-being
or that of their families, or their sense of social justice.
In their families and communities, men live in social
relationships with women and girls: as wives, partners,
mothers, sisters, aunts, daughters, nieces, friends, classmates,
colleagues and neighbours. The quality of these
relationships in large part determines the quality of
men’s lives. Men can increasingly see that their lives
are also damaged by a system of gender inequality
that has a negative impact on the women and girls
with whom they live, work and interact in different
ways. Many men make sacrifices for their children and
want their daughters to grow up in a world that offers
young women security, freedom and opportunities to
fulfil themselves. This provides a powerful reason for
many men to support gender equality.

South African Men’s ForumMbuyiselo Botha of the South African Men’s
Forum emphasizes:
“What has kept me going is the philosophy
that says our own liberation as men, as black
South Africans, cannot be removed from the
total liberation of women in this country.
That has been a driving force. It would be
very hypocritical to talk of liberation when
you know that a large section of the society
is still in bondage.”
Source: D. Peacock and A. Levack (2004), “The
Men as Partners Program in South Africa: reaching
men to end gender-based violence and promote
sexual and reproductive health”, in Men’s Sexual
and Reproductive Health: Lessons from the Field,
Barker and Das, eds., International Journal of Men’s
Health (Blindern: Men’s Studies Press)."

You can also request a hard copy of Women 2000 and Beyond: The role of men and boys in achieving gender equality by sending an email to: songq@un.orgPlease provide your name, organization, mailing address and language version you require: E, F or S